Refrigerating apparatus



Oct. 20, 1931. HULL 1,827,815 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 20;1926 .l atented @ct. 2% E231 enema E. HULL, 0E DAYTON, OHIO, AS$IGNOR,BY MESNE ASSIGHMETTS, TQ THIGH)- a: CORPORATION; A GOBPORATION OFDELAWARE REFRIGERATING- AEEARATUS Application filed November ac, 1926.Serial Ito. Marco.

This'invention relates to cooling units for mechanical refrigerators,and more pa ticularly to cooling units which are adapt d to be installedin refrigerating cabinets of the household type. However, it is to beunderstood that the present invention may be adapted for largerrefrigerating cabinets of the commercial type.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved and compact coolingunit which, when installed in a refrigerator, will maintain the food orstorage compartment of the refrigerator at the desired temperature nottoo cold for general refrigeration, and whichwill at the same timeprovide colder or freezing temperatures for quickly and efficientlyfreezing or congealing substances. My invention contemplates theprovision ofwhat may be termed a freezing zone for the quick freezing orcongealing of substances placed therein, and what may be termed acooling zone which is adapted to provide the general refrigeration forthe refrigerator. Tn carrying out my invention, I provide a headercontaining a quantity of liquid refrigerant and to which duct means areconnected in parallel circuit relation. A portion of the duct meansprovides the freezing zone and another portion lies outwardly of thefreezing zone. To protect the freezing zone from the warming eifects ofthe circulating air of cooling medium, which flows over the coolingunit, 1 provide a shield for the freezing zone and arrange the materialof the outwardly lying portion, so as to provide a cooling zonethroughout the length of the freezing zone to thus precool thecirculating airbefore it comes in contact with the shield of thefreezing zone.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clear lyshown.

I In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator cabinet with the doors open inorder to show the food compartment and a cooling unit within a coolingcompartment;

Fig. 2 is a view on a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing the front viewof the cooling unit which is suspended within the cooling compartment ofa cabinet, the walls of which are shown in vertical section; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cooling unit drawn to the same scaleas Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 20 designates a refrigerator cabinet whichprovides an t..- shaped foodcompartment 21 separated from a coolingcompartment 22 by a horizontal par-, tition 23 and a vertical partition24. The partition 24: is provided with a flue 25, admitting relativelywarm air from the food compartment 21 to the cooling compartment 22; andthe partition 23 is provided with a flue 26, admitting cooled air fromthe compartment 22 to the compartment 21. The partition 23 supports abafie 27 which prevents moisture, dripplng from the cooling unit vabove,from entering the flue 26. The baffle 27 directs such moisture upon theupper surface of the partition 23, and this moisture is conducted awaythrough a drain pipe 28.

The cooling unit located within the cooling compartment 22, includes aboiler or header" 30 attached to the top wall of the cabinet by bracketmembers 31 and 32. Condensed refrigerant is conducted to the header 30from a compressor and condenser (not shown) through a pipe 33 and'afitting 34. Refrigerant is admitted from the fitting 3 as needed, by afloat-controlled valve (not shown), of suitable construction, locatedwithin the header 30. Expanded refrigerant is conducted back to thecompressor through a fitting 35 and a pipe 36. The refrigeratingcompressor and condenser with, which the pipes 33 and 36 are connected,may be located outside of the cabinet, if desired, or may be bound orprovide between them a quick-freezing space or zone 41. A plurality ofducts 42,

which lie outwardly of, and are spaced more remote from the space 41 arelocated in the air currents which circulate through the fines and 26.These ducts are provided by two horizontal rows of similar pipe coils ofmetal of good thermal conductivity connected at their ends with theheader, the larger coils which provide the ducts 42 surrounding thesmaller coils which provide the ducts 40.

The space 41 is adapted to receive metal shelves or sleeves 43 which areattached to and thermally connected with the ducts 40. These shelvesreceive metal trays 44 which contain a substance to befrozen.

In order more effectively to shield or iso late the space 41 from ancurrents, metal shields are provided between the ducts 40 and 42. Theseshields are preferabl of metal of good thermal conductivity an aresupported by and thermally connected-with the header to serve as finsfor the header. By arranging the shields as shown, a compact coolingunit is provided which provides widely different temperatures forquickly freezing substances and for the general refrigeration of therefrigerator. The freezing zone is within the cooling zone whichconstruction provides a compact structure. The shield prevents thecirculating air from coming in contactwith the freezing zone and theducts 42 precool the circulating air before it comes in contact with theshield. Thus it is apparent that, since the cooling zone extendsthroughout the length of the freezin zone,

with the aid of the shields, a relative y cold zone may be had withinthe air-cooling zone.

Not only do the plates 45 protect the ducts 40 from the warming effectof the air currents, but also serve to limit the accumulation of frostupon these pipes so that this frost will not-be permitted to impede thecirculation of air between the ducts 42.

. In operation, the space 41 will become much colder than other portionsof the cooling chamber 22, so that substances within the trays 44 may befrozen, while the circulating air may be 'efi'ectively cooled to thedesired low temperature without freezing articles within the foodcompartment. Frost will accumulate upon the ducts 40 to a greater extentthan upon the ducts 42 since the latter are subjected to currents ofrelatively warm air during the idle periods of the refrigeratingmachine. Frost may build up between the ducts 40 and the plates 45 at arelatively rapid rate, but Will accumulate upon the sides of the plates45 more remote from the ducts 40 at a much slower rate since thesesidesof the plates are exposed to air currents. Hence, it is apparent thespace 41 will be isolated and insulated by the ducts 40, thefrostcoating thereon and the plates 45 to provide a relatlvely cold regionfor quick freezing; and that these plates 45 protect the ducts 42 fromrapid accumulation of frost so that said ducts ma effectively cool thecirculating air.

. 1ile the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a pre ferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to be placed inthe path of a cooling medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unitcomprising a header and a plurality of duct means connected with theheader in parallel circuit relation, said means including a portionproviding a freezing zone, and another portion lying outwardly of thefreezing zone, the material of the secondmentioned portion lyingoutwardly of the freezing zone in the path of the circulating medium,and plates thermally connected with and supported by the header, saidplates beingdisposed between said portion immedi ately adjacent thefreezing zone.

- 2. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adap; ed to be placedin the path of a cooling medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unitcomprising a header and a plurality of duct means connected with theheader in parallel circuit relation, said means including a portionproviding a freezing'zone, and another portion lying outwardly of thefreezing zone, the material of the secondmention'ed portion lyingoutwardly of the freezing zone 1n the path of the circulating medium,and plates thermally connected with the header and disposed on oppositesides of the freezing zone and between said portions.

3. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to be placed inthe path of a cooling medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unitcomprising a header and a plurality of duct means connected with theheader in parallel circuit relation, said means including a portionproviding a freezing zone, and another portion lying outwardly of thefreezing zone, the material ofthe secondmentioned, portion lyingoutwardly of the freezing zone in the path of the circulating medium,and means thermally connected with the header and providing a shield forshielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

4. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to be placed inthe path of the medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unitcomprising a header and a plurality of I duct means connected with theheader in par 7 along the length of the freezing zone, and a shieldmeans cooperating with the header to provide an enclosure for shieldingthe freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

5. Acooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to beplaced in thepath of the mediumto be cooled thereby, said cooling unit comprising aheader and a plurality of duct means connected with the header inparallel circuit relation, said means having a portion providing afreezing zone, and another portion providing a cooling zone, thematerial of said second-mentioned portion lying outwardly of thefreezing zone and arranged substantially coextensive with the freezingzone to provide a cooling zone along the length of the freezing zone,and shield means interposed between said por-v tions and cooperatingwith the header to provide an enclosure for shielding the freezing zonefrom the action of the circulating medium.

6. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to be placed inthe path of the medium to be cooled thereb said cooling unit comprisinga header an a plurality of duct means connected with the header inparallel circuit relation, said means having a portion providing afreezing zone,.and another portion providing a cooling zone, the

ranged substantially coextensive with the freezing zone toprovide acooling zone along the length of the freezing zone, and shield meansinterposed between and arranged substantially coextensive with saidortlon said shield means cooperating with t eheader to provide anenclosure for shielding the freezing zone from-the action of thecirculating medium.

7. A cooling unit adapted tobe placed in the path of circulating mediumdown thereover, said cooling unit including a header, ductsconnected-with the header and spaced apart to provide a freezing zone, ashield connected to the header above the connection of said ducts witlitheheader, and duct means connected witlii-Ttlie header above theconnection of the first ducts and the header, said ducts lying spacedfrom thefreezing zone in the p th of the circulating medium, said shieldextending downwardly between the first ducts and said duct means forshieldin the freezing zone from the warming action 0 v the circulatingmedium.

8. A cooling unit adapted to be placed in the path of circulating mediumfor cooling I such medium, said cooling unit including a header, spacedapart ducts extending below the header and connected therewith toprovide a freezing zone therebetween, duct means connected with theheader and lying spaced from the side of saidfreezing zone in the pathof the circulating medium, and a shield between said first mentionedducts and said duct means and cooperating with the header for shieldingthe warming act1on of the circulating medium.

In testimony whereof I hereto afix my signature.

HARRY B,

material of said second-mentioned portion lying outwardly of thefreezing zone and ar reezing zone from the

